Ain't No Sunshine

Album: Just As I Am (1971)
Charted: 40 3
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  • Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
    It's not warm when she's away
    Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
    And she's always gone too long
    Anytime she goes away

    Wonder this time where she's gone
    Wonder if she's gone to stay
    Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
    And this house just ain't no home
    Anytime she goes away

    And I know, I know, I know, I know
    I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
    I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
    I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
    I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
    I know, I know
    Hey, I oughta leave young thing alone
    But ain't no sunshine when she's gone

    Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
    Only darkness every day
    Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
    And this house just ain't no home
    Anytime she goes away
    Anytime she goes away
    Anytime she goes away
    Anytime she goes away Writer/s: Bill Withers
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 23

  • Noah from UsaI swear this was used in The Umbrella Academy (2019)
  • Nico Egbers from AmstelveenIn a music quiz I made for a student reunion I asked the question: "How many times does he sing "I know" after this section?". I counted 28, if I remember correctly, the answers were like between 16 and 48.
  • Briana from TexasWhen you leave someone you love and it automatically feels as if there's a gray cloud over you - I love this song.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 17th, 1976 Bill Withers performed "Ain't No Sunshine" on the NBC-TV program 'Saturday Night Live'...
    Five years earlier on July 11th, 1971 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on September 12th, 1971 it peaked at #3 (for 2 weeks) and spent 16 weeks on the Top 100 (and 6 of those 12 weeks were on the Top 10)...
    It reached #2 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks charts and #6 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
    Stephen Stills played guitar on the record; and the same week "Ain't No Sunshine" reached #3 he was also on the Top 100 at position #43 with "Marianne"...
    Mr. Withers will celebrated his 76th birthday this July 4th and Mr. Stills turned 69 years old two weeks ago on January 3rd (2014).
  • Hugh Mcphee from Wick, United KingdomUsed in the film 'Notting Hill'.
  • Oldpink from New Castle, InSometimes simpler is better, and Mr. Withers understands that the stripped down approach goes perfectly with what this song is all about.
  • Dean from Miami , FlThis song is a classic. One of the best soul and love songs ever.
  • J.r. from Lancaster, PaThis song was also featured in the Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts film Nottinghill.
  • Lucy from Rhinebeck, NyI love this song. It somewhat calms me down, because I'm so hyper all the time.
  • Richard from Anniston, AlChristian alternative band Adam Again did a great cover of this on the "Ten Songs By Adam Again" CD in 1988.
  • Vicki from Houston, TxThis song is the way I feel when I drop my daughter off for school.
  • James from Yucaipa, CaThe absoulute sweetest 2 min song ever recorded.
  • David from Mesa, AzOn a strange British radio programme "I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue", the panellists sometimes play a game called "Pick Up Song". Each person sings along with a record. The volume is then lowered so that the song continues muted and the singer continues alone. He has to keep a sense of rhythm and attempt to be close to where the record actually is when the volume is turned up again. The several times they have used "Ain't No Sunshine", the singer garners good laughs when he has to keep singing "I know", and a fellow panellist always asserts that the volume was returned on the first repetition when the singer had done over twenty.
  • Joanna from Kielce, Polandthis song is really, really great. I also love polish(yes, polish) version covered by Budka Suflera - "Sen o dolinie"("Dream about my valley"). It was their first hit, released in February 1974.
  • Garrett from Nashville, TnFor you fledgling guitar players out there, this is one of the easiest songs to play...it's based on 2 chords, back and forth, with an additional chord thrown in at the vocal high point. All three chords are minor chords.
    One of the cool things about this record is its sparseness...that's Stephen Stills playing the acoustic guitar.
  • Joe from Charlotte, NcThis is not a love song. That's all I am going to say.
  • Dani from Boston, MaI loved it with the Jackson 5
  • Mercedies from Soldotna, AkLegendary. A great song, really.
  • James from Sarasota, FlDMX did a remix of this song. It is on the exit wounds soundtrack.
  • Richard from Savannah, GaThe phrase "I know" actually appears 26 times
  • Sled from St. Louis, NeWither's appeared on "The Dating Game" around the time this hit was popular.
  • Paul from Greenwood, ScSong has approximately 127 "I know's". If you were playing a 45 and had a scratch, it could go into the thousands.
  • Pete from Nowra, AustraliaAustralian band the Rockmelons also did a cover version of this with guest vocalist Deni Hines , charted weel in Australia
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